Aerangis modesta, horizontal mount

This is a discussion on Aerangis modesta, horizontal mount within the **NOT IN BLOOM** All Genera forums, part of the Orchid Photography category; I got this plant a few weeks ago in a net pot with some loose ...

Aerangis modesta, horizontal mount

I got this plant a few weeks ago in a net pot with some loose charcoal and I wasn't confident I could keep it hydrated if it stayed there, so this morning, when I noticed it was starting a new leaf, I thought I'd take it out and put it back into its pot with moss instead.

I ended up making a mount for it:

I learned the important lesson of just how brittle Aerangis roots are. It didn't go back into the net pot because I couldn't find any way to get it in there again without losing more roots. This piece of cork had crevices they fit into pretty well, though.

Now I'm worried that it'll stay too damp, with the moss, but I *think* I'm getting good enough at gauging that. Fingers crossed -- I'd love to see this one bloom some day.

That would be so great! Thanks for the encouragement, Betty. I don't know how big these need to grow to bloom, but I hope you're right.

As for needing to dry quickly -- they definitely *do* dry quickly. When I spray or water my plants, this one's roots feel bone dry in a matter of a couple minutes, while the others are all still green. I don't even know whether that means it's soaking the water up or repelling it. I'm told they grow near rivers in nature, and appreciate daily watering, which I'm doing, and the photos I found of other mounted ones generally had a pretty good pad of moss at the base. So. . . you may be right to question whether it should dry faster or not. I'm making a lot of guesses.

If it does work out, though, I think I'll do the same for my sickly articulata, now stabilized, once it starts growing again. Fingers crossed.

If it helps, my Aerangis jacksonii is sprayed daily ( in Summer) and is in moss/bark chips mix, in a basket. It is also dipped ( dunked) to soak it, maybe every 10 days or so, and hangs up in a not too bright location. I think light is very critical, and whilst it is difficult to judge precisely from colours shown on the web, I would say that my leaves ( on all my Aerangis) are a darker green than yours here, from which I gusess a little less light than you are giving.

That does help -- thank you. I grow mine alongside my phalaenopsis, but I think I grow my phalaenopsis brighter than they're technically supposed to be grown. What do you suppose the effect might be of too much light?

Smaller, harder, purpler leaves.....smaller duller flowers - is the theory, but on the one hand, they will likely thrive best within a narrow range only, and on the other hand they like what they have become accstomed too.
Who ws it said " Please send me one-handed advisers ? "

OrchidTalk --An Orchid Growers Discussion Forum brought to you by River Valley Orchidworks. A World Community where orchid beginners and experts talk about orchids and share tips on their care, cultivation, and propagation.